The 6-month aid mask has not been cleared yet because… the Ministry of Health was inspected, there was no one to do it

Responding to the reflection of the National Assembly deputies about the fact that 2 batches of masks sent to Vietnam by foreign aid have not been cleared for 6 months, the Minister of Finance said that the reason was because the Ministry of Health “didn’t have people”. confirm.

Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phuc at the National Assembly

This afternoon, May 26, at the group discussion session of the National Assembly, Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phuc spoke about the fact that 2 batches of masks sent to Vietnam by foreign aid 6 months ago have not been announced yet. mandarin.

Clarifying this information, Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phuc said that he did not know about the 6-month mask shipment that had not been cleared until the Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front gave his opinion at session of the National Assembly on May 25.

“I have asked the General Department of Customs to just export the goods, the documents will be calculated later” – Minister Ho Duc Phuc said and affirmed: “During the anti-epidemic period, the customs authority has not caused any difficulties.”

According to the Minister of Finance, in the past, when translating Covid-19 At the peak, especially in Ho Chi Minh City, the Ministry of Finance directed the General Department of Customs to create the fastest conditions to receive aid goods. In fact, there have been cases where aid goods were cleared after only one day arriving in Ho Chi Minh City.

“I have also suggested, even without documents, to still accept goods and debt documents because during the peak of the epidemic, many patients died,” he said.

However, after Decree 93 was issued, according to regulations, with aid goods being masks, it must be certified by health authorities. The health agency needs to confirm that this is an aid before the customs can clear it.

The Finance Minister said that the customs authority had given opinions and instructions to the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front to receive this shipment, in which it made a request to the Ministry of Health for certification. However, when the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front transferred it to the Ministry of Health, it did not receive a certificate.

The reason, according to Mr. Ho Duc Phuc, is that over the past time, the Ministry of Health has been meeting with inspectors and supervisors, so “there is no one to work”.

Earlier, at a panel discussion at the National Assembly yesterday afternoon (May 25), Ms. Truong Thi Ngoc Anh – Vice Chairwoman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front said that 2 batches of masks were made by a business in Germany and by overseas Vietnamese. in Hong Kong sent from November 2021. Masks from Hong Kong 1.1 million, sent to Tan Son Nhat airport; From Germany, nearly 40,000 units were sent to Noi Bai airport.

Customs asked for a record of sponsorship, which was provided by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, but then it asked for confirmation from the Ministry of Finance even though the ministry said this was done in accordance with Decree No. 93. When the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front carries out procedures under Decree 93, the Customs requires the sponsoring goods to have the opinion of the Ministry of Health on the exemption from quarantine of the consignment.

“We have sent a document to the Ministry of Health, but so far, we have not received a reply. For more than 6 months, the number of masks for anti-epidemic service has not been able to clear customs while we have to send money for storage every month. The problem is very serious. inadequate,” said Ms. Anh.